Emmanuel Macron Sounds Like a Vassal of China
France’s President Emmanuel Macron went on a state visit to China earlier this month. Usually, such a state visit would be covered in the news, but it wouldn’t make the kind of news and political waves Macron made when he cozied up to China’s Communist President Xi Jinping.
For context, it is important to point out that Xi Jinping is the man who is supporting and helping Vladimir Putin and Russia continue its unwarranted and brutal attack killing tens of thousands of Ukrainians. But that’s not all, Xi Jinping is also the man threatening violence against Taiwan if they will not voluntarily accept his dictatorial rule and agree to become part of communist China. And as if that is not enough, Xi Jinping and his communist totalitarian regime frequently threaten the world with their hegemonic plans to rule and control everyone and everything.
It is generally frowned upon for the leaders of legitimate and genuine democracies to say things that lend aid, support, comfort, and legitimacy to the dictators of nations that oppress and murder millions of their own people and work to expand the circle of their oppression to include the rest of us. But Macron foolishly blew past those moral standards of decency. And as a result, leaders around the globe, in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the United States, have expressed concern with Macron’s remarks.
Macron started by addressing China’s threats against Taiwan, saying that Europe cannot blindly follow the United States and must avoid “getting dragged into crises that are not our own.” This was music to Jinping’s ears. What he heard Macron say is — France and perhaps Europe will not oppose China doing to Taiwan what Putin is doing to Ukraine.
To remove all doubt that he was giving Jinping the green light to attack Taiwan, he also said, “Europeans cannot resolve the crisis in Ukraine; how can we credibly say in Taiwan, ‘watch out, if you do something wrong, we will be there?’”
A European diplomat, speaking anonymously, said: “President Macron is not speaking for Europe or the European Union. He is unwittingly helping Beijing to dismantle transatlantic unity at the time of war in Europe when it is most needed.”[1]
When asked what he thought of Macron’s statements, Marcin Przydacz, a Polish foreign policy expert and advisor, said: “We believe that more America is needed in Europe.” Then he revealed that France’s weakness isn’t helpful: “Today the United States is more of a guarantee of safety in Europe than France.”[2]
After these other criticisms of Macron’s remarks, French diplomats tried to walk back what he had said, but Jinping had his soundbite and could tell his oppressed people that Europe was now on his side. As a German official said, “Macron has managed to turn his China trip into a PR coup for Xi and a foreign policy disaster for Europe.”
While it often makes perfect sense not to engage in a costly war, it makes no sense to signal that you won’t come to an ally’s aid well in advance. That will only embolden the world’s evildoers and hegemonic dictators and virtually guarantee that there will be a horrible conflict. But just sounding like you would oppose the evil dictator can help reduce his enthusiasm for conflict.
It will be helpful to world peace and stability if the world’s evildoers and dictators are left to wonder if nations will oppose them. It would be even more helpful if the world’s aggressive dictators believed that the rest of the world would oppose their hegemonic goals. Just sounding like you would oppose them will help reduce the risk.
So, Macron’s statements were profoundly unhelpful, and he has reduced France’s standing as an influential nation on the world stage.
What was curious was that Macron expressed concern that France and Europe have not become vassals. Yet, his cozying up to communist dictator Xi Jinping makes him a vassal of the communist Chinese regime.
Interestingly, Macron isn’t merely making missteps regarding China; he has done the same thing in Africa. Morocco has been the proverbial grown-up in the room, working to resolve longstanding issues in Africa productively. But France has similarly expressed support for Algeria, which has been aligned with Russia and Iran, fomenting all sorts of trouble in Africa and working to prevent sustainable resolutions.
France has the same problem that Chicago, New York, San Francisco, and many other jurisdictions have — electing leaders working against their citizens’ interests, safety, and security. All over the globe, those who value freedom, opportunity, and security must remember that their vote matters. Voting for leaders that lack the wisdom and sense to work to disincentivize those who commit acts of violence and threaten the people — whether they be local criminals and thugs or international criminals and dictators like Putin and Jinping — will only increase crime and violence and war and human misery. Voters across the globe need to be wise in whom they empower with their votes.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Newslooks.com
